Spie Press Book

This Field Guide provides an overview on the essential types of lasers and their key properties, as well as an introduction into the most important physical and technological aspects of lasers. Apart from describing the basic principles (such as stimulated emission and the properties of optical resonators), this Guide discusses the numerous important properties of laser crystals, the impact of thermal effects on laser performance, methods of wavelength tuning and pulse generation, and laser noise. Practitioners will also gain valuable insight from remarks on laser safety and obtain new ideas about how to make the laser development process more efficient.

Introduction

Within the nearly five decades since the invention of the laser, a wide range of laser devices has been developed. The primary objectives of this Field Guide are to provide an overview of all essential lasers types and their key properties and to give an introduction into the most important physical and technological aspects of lasers. In addition to the basic principles, such as stimulated emission and the properties of optical resonators, this Field Guide discusses many practical issues, including the variety of important laser crystal properties, the impact of thermal effects on laser performance, the methods of wavelength tuning and pulse generation, and laser noise. Practitioners may also gain valuable insight from remarks on laser safety (emphasizing real-life issues rather than formal rules and classifications) and obtain new ideas about how to make the laser development process more efficient. Therefore, this Field Guide can be useful for researchers as well as engineers using or developing laser sources.

I am greatly indebted to my wife, who strongly supported the creation of this Field Guide, mainly by improving the majority of the figures.